Casting Now Complete for West End Evita, Opening 6/21

Complete casting has been set for the upcoming London revival of Evita, which will begin previews at the Adelphi Theatre on June 2nd and open on June 21.

Starring Elena Roger as Eva Peron, Philip Quast as Juan Peron, and Matt Rawle as Che, and with Lorna Want as the Mistress and Gary Milner as Magaldi, the revival will also feature Abbie Osman as the Eva alternate. Ashley Day, Stuart Neal, Paul Basleigh, Greg Castiglioni, Adam Pearce, Tim Morgan, Mark Heenehan, Kevin Curtin, Halcro Johnston, Jodie Jacobs, Pip Jordan, Emma Harris, Mark Powell, Kirsty Mather, Leila Benn Harris, Aoife Nally, Jackie Marks, Robyn North and Sarah Ryan will comprise the ensemble, while John Clarke, Grant Neal, Dean Chisnall, Stephanie Bron, Elizabeth Baron and Fiona Reyes have been cast as the show's swings.

Evita will be helmed by Donmar Warehouse artistic director Michael Grandage, choreographed by Tony Award-winner Rob Ashford (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Doctor Doolittle) and will feature Christopher Oram as the main designer; the three last collaborated on the smash revival of Guys and Dolls that is playing at the Picadilly Theatre. The revival will be produced by Lloyd Webber's Very Useful Group.

Evita, which began life as a 1975 concept album, takes a cynical but multifaceted view of Eva Peron's ascent. With music by Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Rice, the show opened at London's Prince Edward Theatre in 1978 with Elaine Paige as Eva and David Essex as Che. In New York, it ran 1,567 performances at the Broadway Theatre, and won the 1980 Tony Award for Best Musical, as well as six others. The show starred Patti LuPone, Mandy Patinkin (both of whom won Tonys) and Bob Gunton; Harold Prince also won a Tony for his direction.